The 47th Army was formed in late July 1941 in the Transcaucasian Military District as part of the Soviet Union's border defenses with Iran. On 1 August 1941 the army's composition was reported as including the 236th Rifle Division, 63rd and 76th Mountain Rifle Divisions, the 116th Howitzer Artillery Regiment (an RVGK asset), the 456th Corps Artillery Regiment, the 6th and 54th Tank Divisions, and engineering forces which included the 61st motorized engineer battalion, 75th independent engineer battaion, and the 6th and 54th pontoon bridge battalions.[1]

Soviet units began their part of the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran on 25 August 1941. The 47th Army broke through the border and moved from the Azerbaijan SSR into Iranian Azerbaijan.[2] They moved towards Tabriz and Lake Urmia. They captured the Iranian city of Jolfa. An Iranian reconnaissance aircraft discovered the forces south of Jolfa moving towards Marand. It was possible for the Iranian 3rd Division under General Matboodi to move motorized infantry towards Shibli in order to halt the breakthrough, but due to being taken by surprise, he failed to make the proper counterattack. He also failed to destroy the bridges and highways with explosives, allowing the Soviets to rapidly move through the region.[3] Five Iranian bombers were intercepted trying to attack the Soviet positions around Jolfa.[4]

Key actions that the 47th Army took part in were the liberation of Kovel on July 6, 1944, forcing the Germans out of the Praga suburb of Warsaw on September 14, 1944, and achieving a junction with troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front on April 25, 1945 that completed the encirclement of Berlin.[8]